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DJ seems to be slipping according to some mock drafts and it made me wonder how far could he slip. It seems every team has a major reason(s) not to take him in the higher parts of the draft such as team needs. Let's take a look:

1) SF- Has Julian Peterson and Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith is needed for a franchise QB. LB seems to be even on of their strengths which are few.
2) MI- LB is not a real need either with QB and RB in question even if they pass on a RB till the later rounds and think AJ Feeley can handle it. They already have Jason Taylor who will be a OLB rusher and Seau may still be a cover OLB or MLB. DJ is a little small to at 243 for the 3-4. The very small nack on him is that he cant shed blocks and in the 3-4 you have to be able to if u r a OLB. They may even trade with Saban looking to "build through the draft".
3) CLE- Again a 3-4 and Shawne Merriman looks like a better pick here. Also franchise QB is needed desperately maybe more than anyone else in the draft because the roster is now filled with old vets.
4) CHI- Probably the closest team so far but with David Terrell cut and Muhshin Muhammad turning 32, WR is needed desperately. Not only to play alongside Muhammad but to replace him as the #1 in the future. None of the other WR had over 500 yards receiving and with a young QB, he needs lots of targets to be productive. Also Cedric Benson is susposed to be liked my the Chicago FO because they want to run.
5) TAMPA- Could use DJ with Derrick Brooks to teach him however, they are said to be interested RB Cadillac. Mike Williams is also susposed to be like by their FO.
6) TENN- Many drafts have them taking DJ here but I am not sure why. Their LB are one of the strengths of the team with Sirmon, Bulluck, and Calmus. They are still intact. However, the D-Line is damaged severely with the DE in question with the Departure of Kearse and with Kevin Carter also gone. CB seems the most likely pick to me with Antrell Rolle or Pac Man Jones available or even a trade down. Their Offense could be addressed to but Defense seems more of a problem.
7) MINN- The other team everyone has DJ going to. They seem to already gone crazy with the LB postion. With Harris starting at the SAM and EJ Henderson starting at MLB. However has everyone forgot about Dontarrious Thomas. He was their 2nd pick last year and he was 7th on the team in tackles as a rookie and will only get better with a year under his belt. DJ seems like a sexy pick but dont just waste a good pick last year either when other positions could be handled. Pat Williams will be turning 32 and will need to be replaced very soon and Hovan is gone so someone needs to be able to spell Pat and replace him in the future and play along side Kevin Williams. This new DT could even start because Minny has been toying with the idea of putting Kevin on the DE with his speed because the youth at DE. However, I am not so sure about that with the DE that they have are good with a mixture of vets and youth. WR is also a could be because Offense is what the Vikes are known for and they may want another with Travis Taylor a ?. Nate Burleson may need some help and Marcus Robinson may not be that candidate and Kelly Campbell is a 4th WR.
8 ARI- QB, HB, CB all bigger needs for the Cards by far and their are all likely candidates available here for those positions.
9) WAS- Probably the worst pick for the Skins with Washington being a great pickup and Lavar Arrlington. LB is set and no MLB is good enough to be picked here and Mike Barrow seems to still have the job with Gibbs regardless of his age. DE, CB, WR, so many other positions that should be taken before LB pretty much all of them.
10) DET- LB not a need with Boss Bailey, Teddy Lehman and Earl Holmes. S and TE with Marcus Pollard getting older are bigger needs. Thomas Davis would go good here or maybe even a trade down. Also with Stockar McDouble leaving an OT such as Alex Barron may go good here too.
11) DAL- Another 3-4 and size is a ?. Many Dallas fans like DJ but a CB maybe good here regardless of what Parcells says or Thomas Davis with Darren Woodson gone. Also they need some other players with the D-line and big LB to help the switch to 3-4 Shawne Merriman may also be a good pick here or a trade down which Parcells loves.
12) SD- Anther 3-4, the OLB are in question but again Shawne Merriman may be a good pick but I think WR is a must and a trade up may happen.

Everyone gets the point on down further is no need, bigger needs, or 3-4 problem except maybe the Saints who would defintely pick him if they wanted to. So I think the Saints are the lowest team that he could slip to unless for some drastic reason they dont pick him. So a lower team could trade up in front of the Saints and take him. Give me some feedback and some possible trade ups u think could happen. THx

Ooh, you're treading on dangerous ground here... Derrick Johnson seems to have some very passionate supporters. (None of which currently seem to be any professional teams or scouts.) I totally agree that he's probably gonna freefall, probably outta the top ten...

Let me save all you passionate DJ supporters the trouble.

Hey SuperBowlEagles, you're a (insert generic insult). Derrick Johnson is (insert generic praise). No way the (insert team) will not draft him!!!!

I could see him dropping pretty far. He will still get taken in the top 15. Or some team will say "Ah screw it. He was awesome in college. His size won't matter. Will it?" He is awesome but he needs to put on some weight so he can handle the meaty O-lines of the NFL if he has to.

How many teams will pass up on the closest thing to a sure thing on defense in this draft? not many he could go as high as 3 but no lower than 10. Iam sure if he slips past 5 or 6 countless teams are going to be calling for that next pick to get him.

Ooh, you're treading on dangerous ground here... Derrick Johnson seems to have some very passionate supporters. (None of which currently seem to be any professional teams or scouts.) I totally agree that he's probably gonna freefall, probably outta the top ten...

Let me save all you passionate DJ supporters the trouble.

Hey SuperBowlEagles, you're a (insert generic insult). Derrick Johnson is (insert generic praise). No way the (insert team) will not draft him!!!!

u make ppl sound like idiots and biast DJ lovers jsut if they think DJ will go high.

i have no reason to like the guy more than any other player in the draft.

bottom line, i dont see him falling out of top 8, he's just too talented, too many teams draft for bpa instead of need nowadays so i cant see him faling so far.
that doesn't make me a passionate DJ supporter, it makes me an intelligent draft observer who looks at facts and takes into account common sense. how is a guy who would have been drafted before nfl def. ROY jon vilma and rookie stud dj williams LAST YEAR, going to fall out of top 10 this year?

it wont happen, teams will find a way to get him, he's too talented, just like last year when ppl saw big ben falling so far they started a mad dash to trade ahead of pgh to get him, fortunatley for me (a pgh fan) NYJ were in love w/ dunta robinson(and obviously for good reason) and ben fell to pgh.

if he falls to pick 10 teams that have big lb needs are going to start getting antsy and think, how is this kid still available, we could kill for a kid like that, we need to find a way to get him especially considering we're just 5-10 picks away, we could just give up an extra 3rd rdr and a veteran to snag him. omg we need him.

it happens all the time, so i'll go out on a limb here and say DJ will NO WAY fall otu of top 10.

mark it down, put it in ur info, w/e, its not that big of a statement to me but others obviously feel differently so write it down and remember that primetime told you he would not get past pick 10.

I think he's overrated on these boards (do not confuse that word with the word crappy).

However I think he'll either go to MIA, CHI, or someone else in a trade up. Why? Miami won't run the 3-4 with Taylor there, and there other LB's are old (Thomas and Grandpa Seau). So they could use a good one with youth back there. Chicago has no OLB's that are noteworthy, and Urlacher has trouble staying healthy it seems. Lovie is a defensive coach anyway, and it's been said they are looking to trade for a veteran back, which would then allow them to go in a different direction. Plus that means when Urlacher is healthy, they have him and DJ at the LB positions.

The rest of the teams in the top 10 can certainly take him, but I think he's either going to those two teams, or someone else in a trade up (dallas, saints, chiefs, ect).

I wouldn't call myself a DJ "Supporter" but I am certainly impressed with his talent. I have to stick with what I believed from the beginning. DJ will be drafted in the top ten, but I'm not sure of the top five. I think the first five teams have bigger holes to fill than LB. The Vikings seem like a logical choice, since they are intent on rebuilding the defense._________________

Exactly my thinking. People on this site criticize you if you speak of DJ falling out of top 5. But I think come draft day he will go somewhere from #10-15. I've been saying this for a while and I will stick with it._________________FF Member #1000

Well, he is the best player in the drfat, and he is the best linebacker prospect that I have seen in years, so I doubt he'll fall that far. I think Chicago might take him, and Tamp should. Gold left them with and opening, and I have heard rumors, mind you, they are just rumors, that Brooks could be traded away._________________

Well, he is the best player in the drfat, and he is the best linebacker prospect that I have seen in years, so I doubt he'll fall that far. I think Chicago might take him, and Tamp should. Gold left them with and opening, and I have heard rumors, mind you, they are just rumors, that Brooks could be traded away.

I don't think he's the best LB prospect in years. Hell look at last year in the first round. DJ Williams biggest knock was that he just was still somewhat new to the position. Seemingly the only knock period that was on any scout place/writeup of Vilma was just his actual size and made it known in the report that other than his size he had no noticable flaws in his game. Now take DJ this year, he's still a bit lanky for his height (not a big deal) but he likes to do what he wants to do on the field (think LaVar Arrington) and doesn't take on blocks and runs around them. So while not a bust I think if chosen really high it's stupid compared to people passing on Vilma and Williams last year. And I hate that people think LaVar is a top 5 LB. He doesn't play the way he's told (how many spats did he and Marvin Lewis have when he was there), and likes to just try to make plays himself on the field. However LaVar will take on blocks though, so if DJ plays like that, but tries to run around blocks it and was chosen in the top 10, it will as big a joke as Arrington going in the top 3. I don't hate him, but he has noticable flaws, and people act like he's perfect here and just simply amazing. To me out of the last year, this year, and next years draft, he may not even be a top 5 LB in the NFL out of those drafts.

If the Bears do not take DJ at the 4th pick, he will probably fall untill the next 4-3 that has a questionmark LB unit... welcome to the Era of the Salary Cap... why take a highpriced LB in the 1st when one a role player will do? Enter Adalius Thomas.

OMG....do your research fellas...the Bears will not take DJ!!!!! We will take either of the 3 rb's or the 2 wr's....yep thats 5 guys and we have the fourth pick..
The bears have Urlacher locked up to a big contract..and Lance Briggs who I believe is almost better than Urlacher.....yep you heard it here first and he will be a FA after the year and needs to be locked up long term. We have 3 other young Lb's to fill the other OLB spot and we are close to signing Anthony Simmons.